Roadtrip!
by delusionment
Summary: Sometimes mysterious theiving activity around Vale can only be solved with a roadtrip! Piers x Mia -hiatus-
1. Alex Mortimer

Chapter 1: Alex Mortimer

I opened the door of my house to stumble across my parents having a deep conversation with each other. I found it rather odd to find my parents looking so serious because…well, they hardly are. Then again, I was much to busy to find out _why_ they were talking in such a way. I had just come back from my friend Jenna's house. She never understands the homework given at the Psynergy Academy so I have to tutor her everyday after school. I don't get why her older brother, Felix can't do it. Then again, he and his friend Piers are always studying…

Huh. I guess I should introduce myself. I am Mia Brooks. I happen to be seventeen years old with icy blue eyes. I have light blue hair that trails down to my lower back, and that is why I wear my hair in a ponytail most of the time. It hardly makes a difference anyway. My appearance is made up with the fact that I am a Water Adept from the frozen lands around a little village called Imil. I moved to Vale when I was only six, and I kept in touch with my relatives in Imil via letters. I am currently a twelfth year at the Vale Psynergy Academy, and one of the top ten students in my year.

Vale's Psynergy Academy is the top in all of Weyward. I should think it should be considering Vale is the town that guards very source of Alchemy in the form of a tall mountain known as Mount Aleph. There are sixteen years in total at all Psynergy Academies. Most of my friends are twelfth years as well. Not Ivan and Felix and Piers. Okay, so maybe just _four_ of my friends are in their twelfth year.

I began climbing the stairs to my room as silently as possible…that is until I stepped on of the creaky stairs. "Mia, darling, can you please come down here into the kitchen? We have something for you." My mother answered quite loudly.

'Oh, shoot.' I thought.

I stepped back downstairs and into the kitchen where my parents where conversing quietly at the dinner table. In my father's hand was a nice, clean letter, but he looked so tense and apprehensive it almost seemed like he was about to crush it in his fist. "Yes, mother, father? What is it?"

"You should read this letter your cousin wrote to us." My father replied in his most strained voice ever. "After all, the both of you were ever so close as children." He handed the envelope to me. I gingerly took it into my hands and nodded before running upstairs. Forgetting about the many homework that lay inside my book bag, I threw it next to my desk and collapsed on my bed with the letter. It had been a year and a half since I heard from him. We sent letters to each other since I moved away, but when I was fifteen, he had stopped writing. I kept sending letters asking if he was okay or what. On my sixteenth birthday, Alex had finally written back to say happy birthday and to say:

Mia, please stop worrying about me. I am all right. Some problems have risen up here in Imil between people and everyone is trying his or her hardest to resolve it.

Now here I am, seventeen and Alex's newest letter was now in my hands. I tore open the envelope and immediately noticed Alex's neat and fancy handwriting. (He was always old fashioned.) The letter read:

**Dear Mia and Family,**

**I would like to inform you that Mother and I have decided to move to Vale. While I am perfecting my courses at Imil's Psynergy Academy, Mother wants me to have more of a challenge. Do not worry about housing because we have both found a small house to live in for the time being. Also, do not worry about the expenses for the Academy. My family has always gotten by on life and we will get by with Vale's expenses.**

**Everything in Imil is fine now. I told you not to worry, did I not? I hope you are okay. Well, I will know when I get to Vale in a week. I can't wait to see you again. It has been so long!**

**Sincerely,**

**Alex Mortimer **

It was a short letter, but it put a grin on my face. Alex is my cousin, who happens to be a year older than me. His mother and my father are siblings. Alex looks a lot like me…only male. Alex's light blue hair is long so it sometimes it makes him look like a girl. But as an estimate, Alex's hair is just as long as Piers'. Alex is very even tempered like most Water Adepts. I've heard from some of the older residents in Imil that our families had some kind of dispute a very long time ago. This dispute happened to tear away our families apart. The only thing that remained the same was my relationship with Alex. Actually, I don't know the whole details about what happened so long ago.

I took the letter to my closet and opened it. All my clothes were neatly hung up and such. On the ground under my hanged clothes was a large chest. Inside of it were all the letters Alex and I had spent writing to each other. Other things inside were little momentums that I thought were a very important part of my life and to my memories. Adding my cousin's newest letter to the chest, I shut it and closed it back up into my closet.

--+--

The next morning, I walked to school as usual. Vale is usually a quiet town but the only time it ever gets loud and noisy is when students at the Academy go to and come from the building. As I neared the courtyard, I could already see my friends sitting on the flowerbeds and chatting as usual. I ran to them with a little more bounce in my step than usual. I could wait to tell them the good news!

"Guess what? Guess what!" I cried out as I reached my friends.

"I don't guess. Just tell us why you are overexcited. (I thought that was supposed to be Jenna's job.)" Felix pointed out to me. Felix Adams is Jenna's older bother. He is a year ahead of me in my studies, but apparently, he is very smart. Our elderly teacher of Alchemy, Kraden believes Felix has the potential of surpassing him in knowledge. Anyway, Felix is rather tall and not to mention quiet. He's really popular with the girls, but I really don't what they see in him. It might be his long brown hair in a ponytail and his brown eyes, his quiet, loner type behavior (even though he has a lot of friends), or the fact that he can't even find a girlfriend. It's a JOKE people…

"Some relative you hate died and you get to inherit loads of gold!" Sheba guessed hopefully. Sheba Zephyr really has a smart mouth. And I don't mean intelligent speaking. (Well, maybe I do since she is one of the top students in our year.) In old English terms, "smart" defines as something hurtful and unpleasant. In other words, Sheba likes making smart-ass comments that are funny…just as long as it is not directed to you. She's a shorthaired blonde with green eyes, but she is nowhere close to being dumb. Along to go with her smart mouth (in the terms of spiteful talk) her smart mouth also speaks intellectual words. At least her cutting comments can be backed up with logical reasoning. Maybe her powers as a Jupiter Adept are what make her cut to the edge. Sheba was born and raised in Lalivero. She came here just two years ago.

"Obviously something good happened to you. I can guess that much." Garet presumed bluntly. Garet Brand is my rather hot tempered, rash friend with a good heart. He's not the brightest crayon in the box, but at least he has _some_ common sense to go around. Like most Mars Adepts, Garet has the appearance of red hair and brown eyes. Also like Isaac, his hair is always spiked. I don't know exactly how much styling gel Isaac and Garet use per day but I know it is A LOT. I think they use most of their allowances buying more bottles of gel…

"No joke Garet! I think everyone could have figured out that much!" Jenna yelled meanly. Jenna Adams is Felix's little sister. Like Garet, she's hot tempered with her fiery red hair and brown eyes…but at least she has tons of sense. Not to be offending or anything, but I just wish she used that sense in her schoolwork. Jenna is one person you do not want to piss off. She will not rest until she has her vengeance. The one person Jenna hates the most is this girl named Feizhi Ventura. Feizhi has this obsession compulsive disorder with Jenna's boyfriend, Isaac. I think she might snap any day…

"Something good happened with your family? Fortune? Love?" Isaac began listing. Isaac Mikaia is Jenna's boyfriend as I said before. Also, instead of hating Feizhi, Isaac is actually afraid of her! Actually, I would think so since she has a temper to match Jenna. Anyway, Isaac is the complete opposite of his best friend Garet. He's a Venus Adept and is rather thoughtful and quiet. His quiet behavior lets him and Felix get along well together. But the thing that both boys have in common is their spiked hair. Because 1) They won't let anyone touch it. 2) They spend money on gel bottles half of the time. 3) They use a lot of gel to get their hair the way it is. I wonder how much he uses for that blonde hair of his…

"Can you just tell us already?" Piers Maylin asked me. Piers is the boy I…happen to have a crush on. He may be a Water Adept a year ahead of me but he doesn't look like one where Alex and I come from. Piers was born and raised in an ancient city known as Lemuria. His hair is a darker blue and instead of blue eyes, he has a hazel color. Piers is Felix's best friend, and just like Felix, Piers is bright. Instead of being so serious, he has a sense of humor. And like most Water Adepts, he's even tempered. Piers came to live here about four years ago. And let's just say…it was love at first sight for me.

"I don't want to guess. I guess I just should read your mind." Ivan replied. Ivan Makan is Sheba's boyfriend. He may be a year younger than her but they make an adorable little couple. Ivan has a good soul and just wants to do what is right. Ivan comes from a continent on the Eastern Sea known as Atteka. The city he is from is called Contigo. Ivan was pretty self-conscious when he first moved here as a child but he's loosened up over the years. Like Sheba, he has blonde hair but gray eyes instead. He may seem like a weakling but his Psynergy is top notch among the eleventh years at the Academy.

Ivan stepped towards me a closed his eyes and began to read my mind. It is rather obvious to Adepts when one is reading his or her mind. Only this gift is presented to Jupiter Adepts. "Hey! That's no fair, Ivan! Stop reading my mind." I yelled. Ivan stepped away from me.

"I see…Mia's cousin is moving to Vale! And he's attending thirteenth year when he gets here!" Ivan announced.

"Oh that's so cool!" Sheba replied. "Is he the one you've been writing to since you moved here?"

"Yeah! I was so surprised to receive his letter last night!" I commented with glee.

"What? You knew about it since last night? How come you didn't tell me when I talked to you on the phone last night?" Piers inquired.

I slightly began to squirm. "Well, I wanted to shock you guys," I said, "but Ivan had to go read my mind and tell everyone!"

The ten-minute bell for classes began to echo inside and outside the school. "Well, there's the bell! We better get to class!" Jenna cried.

"Jenna, since when are you so eager to get to class?" Garet asked.

"Shut up! It's none of your business!" She retorted callously.

"Uh-oh!" Isaac murmured, hiding behind Piers and Felix's tall figures. Feizhi came darting by, eagerly looking for the object of her obsession. When the purple haired girl disappeared, Isaac came back into view. "Maybe we should get to class now." The blonde Venus Adept agreed, looking around wildly. "Bye Jenna! Bye you guys!" He gave Jenna a kiss (Felix looked away sourly) before running off to his first class.

"Well, if Isaac is going, then I should too." Ivan sighed. He kissed his girlfriend's cheek and gave her a quick hug before running off as well.

"Aw…All of these couples kissing and all…" Garet mumbled. He looked at me and opened his arms and said, "Mia?"

"No way!" I laughed, grabbing Jenna by the arm and walking to class with her.

"Oh, that's cold!"

--+--

"Okay, you just need to do this…and then remember to check your answer to see if it is compatible. Got it now, Jenna?" I asked during one of our after school tutoring sessions.

My friend glared at the homework in front of her. With the most resenting voice she answered, "Math is the devil!"

"I thought you were the devil…" Piers mused from the kitchen. Without a moment's hesitation, Jenna had hurled a searing beam at the Lemurian Water Adept. Just quick, Piers had doused out the flames.

"How you can like that jerk is beyond me…" She whispered to me out of the corner of her mouth. I sheepishly shrugged. "But more importantly, when is your cousin coming to Vale?"

"In the letter, he said he would arrive in a week. It has been three days now, but I wonder how long it takes to travel from Imil to Vale…" I wondered.

"Of course it would take just a little while to get to Vale. Snow and mountains surround Imil. It would take even longer if you had a lot of belongings to take with you." Felix explained in an irritated voice.

I really began thinking about Alex and his family at these words. Alex was an only child as well I. I do remember that his father died when he was young. I even remember Alex muttering something at his funeral. Although I can remember thousands of facts at the top of my head, recollecting pieces of my early childhood in Imil is complex. The words my cousin spoke of went along the lines of…

**"…'s parents are the... They were the ones…my father because… Now look...is… and my …under feet of dirt and snow."**

Alex's family is poor, so they must not have a lot of belongings. But just like Alex had said in his latest letter, he and his mother have always gotten by somehow. He never said how, but this curious air had now risen into my chest.

"Mia? Are you okay? You have not spoken for several minutes." Jenna asked, prodding me with her pencil.

I looked up at her. "I'm fine. I was just thinking." I smiled to hide my suspicions.

"Good! Then can you help me with this problem?"

"All right. What you do here is…"

* * *

A/N: New story! This should be a good one since I was beating myself up for a good plot. I shall reveal more as the story goes on, of course. Oh right. I need a disclaimer. I don't own Golden Sun and Golden Sun: The Lost Age! I wish I did but that is just not possible. 


	2. Mia's Cousin

Chapter 2: Mia's Cousin

I anxiously waited at the entrance of Vale for my cousin and my aunt to arrive by car. The car was Alex's 18th birthday present from his mom. Truthfully, I don't know how she could have afforded it. Finally, I saw a car coming toward Vale from a distance. I leaped up to see if it was my relatives. It was. The car had very few boxes on the roof of the car, driven by none other than Alex. His mother was sitting next to him in the shotgun seat. The car stopped when it reached the gate and my relatives stepped out.

"Alex! Aunty! It's so great to see you again!" I cried. I hugged Alex and kissed my aunt on the cheek.

"Mia! Look at you! You look so grown up!" My aunt exclaimed as she began looking me over. I could not help noticing the faint, dark circles under her eyes and how skinny she was. She was slightly hunched over, as if the area around her chest and stomach was in pain. "You've grown into a beautiful young lady."

"Thank you Aunty." I answered with gratitude.

"Mother, I told you Mia has changed." Alex replied.

"Well, of course she has. It has been…what?"

"Eleven years, Mother." My cousin reminded.

"Oh, yes. Eleven years. Pardon my loss of memory, Mia, dear. I am getting old." My aunt said.

I raised my eyebrow. She was beginning to experience loss of memory? And she's beginning to get old? Aunty was only thirty-nine. (My father is only forty-one.) I gave this skeptical look to Alex, but he did not notice it. "Getting old, Aunty? I doubt it. I think you're still young." I said.

"That may be," she laughed, "but I am a year away from being over the hill. It is amazing what the years can do to a person."

I said nothing else. "Come on, Mia. The little house we're occupying is not far from here. At least I don't think so." Alex responded, getting back into the car. I got into the car, and my cousin gave me the address to where the house was. We didn't have to drive far though. Just above the plaza were several houses. The first house you would come across was it. It was a small house, but it would do for just Alex and his mother. I helped unload the boxes from the car and into the newly acquired house.

"So…Alex, I'm just curious. How are you going to afford Vale's Academy, the cost of this house, and food?" I asked.

"I told you before, Mia. Mother and I have always managed to get by on life easily." My cousin answered as he began opening boxes. "Imil's University gave me a scholarship to cover the cost of my books and supplies here. I just have to pay tuition. The cost of the house is affordable each month too. I've gotten a job helping in the hardware store, and Mother will soon be working as a maid at the inn."

"Listen to my boy. He's done all the math and calculations needed already." My aunt commented with a smile.

"But Alex, if you ever--" I began.

"No." Alex said firmly. "Even if you offer me any food or money, I won't accept it. You know that, Mia."

I frowned at his stubbornness and pride. Alex has always been like this. I always offered to help with his family's financial problems, but he refused. He called it "charity".

"Then is there anything else you want or need me to do for you? I'm still a little worried about you." I pressed on.

"Mia," Alex growled to me in a low voice, "we're fine. We've survived for eighteen years on our own like this, we can do well without help."

I sighed helplessly. How they managed to go on with life is what I want to know.

--+--

The weekend ended and it was back to school to begin the same usual routine once again. On this sunny Monday ("evil days" as Jenna likes to call them), I was talking with my friends about the regular nonsense we talk about. Only I noticed that Garet was not present with us.

"Uh…where's Garet?" I asked.

"Library. He's trying to finish his homework from last night." Isaac answered.

Jenna scoffed and said rudely, "As if he's actually going to finish his homework in time for class. He never pays attention to what we're learning anyway."

"Neither do you, Jenna," Sheba commented severely, "so I wouldn't be talking either."

The Mars and Jupiter Adept shared a menacing glare, but they did not say anything else. I brushed off their conversation and turned to Piers and Felix. "Whatever. Anyway, Felix, Piers, today is Alex's first day. Please don't do anything bad to him on his first day. He may be much more even tempered than I am, but he is not a person to mess around with." I pleaded with them.

(Isaac hid behind Felix and Piers at this point because Feizhi was calling his name from afar.)

"Oh, come on. We're not going to give him a hard time." Felix retorted.

"Yeah. It's not like we're going to steal his lunch money, or anything." Piers joked. Him and Felix laughed. "And what's the worst thing he could do to us?"

"I could freeze you into an ice cube and ship you off to the northern reaches where it is freezing cold there." Alex voice countered calmly as he appeared beside me. "Now what were you saying about me?"

"Alex!" I cried. "How did? When did you?"

"Never mind that, dear cousin. Aren't you going to introduce me to your friends?"

"Oh! How rude of me!" I exclaimed. "Alex, these are my friends. This is Piers, Felix, Jenna, Sheba, Ivan, and Isaac is the one hiding behind Piers and Felix. And Garet is in the library doing homework, but you'll meet him later." I introduced all of my friends to my cousin.

Being polite and cool as typical, Alex shook their hands with a well-mannered tone and said, "Nice to meet you all. Mia has told me a lot about all of you."

"Likewise." Ivan replied.

(Feizhi came by shouting Isaac's name.)

"Uh, Alex, Piers and Felix will be in several of your classes with you." I replied.

"Really? Well, that's nice."

"So, how do you like Vale so far?" Sheba asked.

"Even though Vale is a town, it seems more like those bustling cities such as Tolbi, compared to Imil." My cousin answered pleasantly. "I like it here so far."

"That's good to know. Will you be here for good, or at least until you're graduated?" The intelligent Wind Adept pursued.

"Well, it depends. I am very fascinated with Alchemy and its past life. I've read tons of books on the ruins of old civilizations that I would like to research them. Perhaps it could lead to more answers of Alchemy's past." Alex explained. This was just like him. My cousin enjoyed learning about Alchemy and how it was used. Once gotten on the subject, he could talk for hours.

"Mia, you're cousin might be the only one who can sit through Professor Kraden's boring talks of matter." Piers whispered to me. I shrugged.

_RING, RING!_

The bell rang to symbolize that all students had to be in class within the next five minutes. "We should all go now." I suggested. "See you later, guys!"

--+--

I sat down at my usual lunch table where Garet, Felix, Piers, and Sheba were already eating. "Okay, okay. Spill the beans. How was Alex during morning classes?" I insisted to Felix and Piers.

"Well," Felix began, "Alex practically impressed all our professors."

"Didn't you say that your cousin was the best in all of his classes in Imil's University?" Sheba inquired.

I nodded. "Yeah. He is the best back in Imil."

Piers shook his head. "Yikes. Alex can probably make me run after my money for the "Best Water Adept" title among the thirteenth years." He said.

"Even so, you will still be one of the top fifty students among your grade." Garet pointed out dully. "I can't even make it past Rank 4."

Allow me to explain how Vale's Academy and all Psynergy Academies work. There is only a maximum of 250 students in each year and 5 ranks in total. These ranks correspond to the five letter grades: A, B, C, D, and F. Garet said he couldn't make it past Rank 4, meaning his overall grade is a D. (How embarrassing…) There is supposed to be a maximum of 50 students in each rank. At the end of each year, the teachers decide the four winners of the "Best Adept" award in each year.

"Maybe you could get past Rank 4 if you actually did your homework and studied for the exams." Sheba answered scathingly.

"Says you. You're one of the top students in Rank 1."

"I'm number two in Rank 1, thank you very much." The Wind Adept said proudly.

"It doesn't matter if I'm in the top fifty students. Only being in the top ten and being number one is all that matters." Piers replied.

"You sure are a high achiever, Piers." Felix commented.

"Hmph. You are too, Felix. Only, you barely try and yet you're still number one among Rank 1." The Water Adept retorted to his best friend.

"I do try my best! That's why I'm always studying!" Felix countered.

"How odd!" Sheba cried angrily all of a sudden.

I turned to her with confusion. "What's up, Sheba?"

"My necklace! The one that Ivan gave to me for my birthday isn't around my neck anymore! You know! The one that had amethysts embedded in it?"

"You mean the one that looked like jewelry of a princess?"

"Yes!"

"Maybe the clasp just broke." Garet suggested.

"Perhaps…I know I had it around my neck when I went into Kraden's class for fourth period…" Sheba began retracing. "Possibly it could have come off when that tenth year crashed into me…"

I stood up and tugged at my friend's sleeve. "Come on. I'll help you find it."

--+--

Sheba and I searched for the necklace during lunch and after school, but no avail came to us. My friend was so angry with herself for losing such an important item. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! I can't believe I lost it!" Sheba yelled through her gritted teeth. She began slamming her fists on the flowerbed wall in the courtyard as if she was a small baby having a temper tantrum.

"It's not your fault! Blame the tenth year that crashed into you." I advised.

"That's right! Where is that little, snot nose brat! I'll murder him!" The girl demanded.

"You're not alone, Sheba." Piers replied coming up to us. "Apparently, someone plucked the chopsticks from Feizhi's hair and ran off with them."

Sheba's face screwed up into a scowl. "Are you just sure that Jenna didn't steal them?" She asked.

"Feizhi's chopsticks were made out of real diamonds." Piers pointed out.

"When did it happen?" I asked.

"About thirty minutes ago. Several of the other thirteenth years were playing basketball when the ball was hit away and smacked Feizhi on the head. I guess it was powerful enough to knock her out." He explained.

Ouch.

"Nothing much happened afterwards, except that she revived after the school nurse tended to her. When she woke up, she began fixing her hair and saw that her chopsticks were replaced with wooden sticks."

"Feizhi probably accused Jenna of stealing them then." I brought to mind.

"That's true, but Feizhi's friend, Hsu, said that the diamond chopsticks were in her hair when he talked to her right before she got smacked with the basketball. And Jenna was serving detention at the time."

"How peculiar! Someone really must have stolen them! You just don't have something so expensive in your hair and then find it has been replaced with wooden ones in its place!" I exclaimed.

* * *

A/N: Yay, another chapter! I revised the summary a bit because I thought that it revealed a little too much. Ack! I won't say anymore! You see? I have a tendency to do this: babble on and on and spoil a lot of the good stuff yet to come! Okay, here is a small spoiler for the next chapter. I will finally introduce my newest and original character into this awesome story with the next chapter. The character really plays an important role in the story so you'll just have to stick around a little longer to see what happens! 


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